Pseudacanthops centralis Ippolito & Lombardo, 2013

Lombardo, Francesco, Ippolito, Salvatrice & Rivera, Julio, 2013, Synopsis of the Neotropical mantid genus Pseudacanthops Saussure, 1870, with the description of three new species (Mantodea: Acanthopidae), Revue suisse de Zoologie 120 (3), pp. 373-403 : 381-384

Pseudacanthops centralis Ippolito & Lombardo n. sp. Figs 3,16, 25, 34-45, 95

Pseudoacanthops caelebs . – Cerdá, 1993 (partim Nicaragua). – Ehrmann, 2002: 291 (partim

Nicaragua). – Agudelo Rondón et al., 2007: 115 (partim Nicaragua).

TYPE MATERIAL: Holotype: NICARAGUA; Ƌ, Great Falls, Pis Pis River , 10 miles NW of Eden 24. V .1922 (Wharton Huber leg.) ( ANSP). – Paratypes: NICARAGUA; 1 Ƌ, same locality as holotype but 1.VIII.1922 (J.S. Mc Kenzie leg.) ( ANSP), Eden , 2 Ƌ, 28.VIII.1922 (J.S. Mc Kenzie leg.) ( ANSP) . – PANAMA; (Veraguas), 1 Ƌ, Rte. de Santa Fé a Rio Luis 600 m, 26.IV.2003 (J. Barbut leg.) ( MNHN) .

ETYMOLOGY: The new species is named after the distribution in central America.

DIAGNOSIS: Body about 43-45 mm in size, eyes ochre with an apical ocular spine very developed; vertex with a bifide process; occiput with two conical processes with small sparse botchs. Pronotum with sparse tubercles. Anterior wings with a weakened excavation.

Female unknown.

FIGS 30-32

External copulatory of Pseudacanthops caelebs : (30-31) Left phallomere, dorsal and ventral view. (32) ventral phallomere. Scale = 1 mm.

DESCRIPTION MALE

Colouration: General coloration ochre. Head ochraceous with frons and genes blackish. Coxae ochraceous with irregularly dotted ivory spots on external surface. Internal surface of femora with two black bands. Tegminae variegated brown-ochraceous. Metathoracic wings opaque ochraceous, anal veins with small ochraceous spots. Abdominal tergites with a black apical narrow strip.

Head (Fig 3, 35): About 1.61 times as wide as pronotum supracoxal dilatation, with numerous spines and small sparse tubercles; process of vertex (Figs 3, 36-37) similar to P. caelebs but shorter; eyes oblong with a big ocular apical spine (approximately 1.7 as long as diameter of one ocellus); ocular suture with two or three conical tubercles; frontal ridge similar to P. caelebs ; occiput with a tuberculated conical processes on each side above the eyes and area near the eye suture with two tubercles, the posterior one clearly more developed and often bearing apical granulations; frontal

FIGS 33-34 Habitus of: (33) Pseudacanthops caelebs , from Honduras. (34) P. centralis , typus. Scale = 1 cm.

shield transverse pentagonal, about twice as broad as high, vertex with two parallel contiguous short teeth (Fig. 3).

Thorax: Pronotum (Figs 38-39) 2.94 times as long as its maximum width, disc of prozone with numerous sparse small tubercles; disc of metazone below the supracoxal sulcus with a stocky pair of tubercles, other two tubercles with an apical spine are present near posterior margin (Fig. 39); lateral margins denticulated only on the metazone; ratio metazone/prozone 1.91. Fore coxae about 0.77 times as long as pronotum; anterior and posterior margins spinulated; posterior surface with numerous ivory conical tubercles; internal surface with numerous sparse ivory calluses; internal distal lobes contiguous. Fore femora (Fig. 16) 0.98 times as long as pronotum and 4.44 times as long as their maximum width; upper margin smooth; basal lobe distinct with denticulated free margin (more developed than P. caelebs ); external surface with 7-8 tubercles along median line. Tibiae half the length of femora. Formula spination F=6ES/14-15IS/4DS and T=20-22ES/14-16IS. Middle and hind femora shortened with short hairs; external surface with 3-4 ivory and robust tubercles; medial margin with a basal lobe. Tibiae (Fig. 25) covered with minute hairs; basal half thicker than distal half and with a medial lobated swelling; apex of tibiae with a distinct lobe; apex with a small lobe. Metatarsus length less than the total length of all the other segments together.

Wings well developed, extending well beyond the abdomen apex. Mesothoracic wing (Fig. 41) ratio total length/maximum width 3.8; opaque only in its costal field and its apex; costal area not well dilated at base with an attenuate excavation; stigma small and rounded. Metathoracic wing with costal and subcostal area and entire apical area opaque.

Abdomen (Fig. 40): Slightly flattened; lateral margins of 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 7th and 8th urotergites with a small bilobate lobe; 5th and 6th with a leafy dentate lobe; 9th with elongated lobe. Urosternites similar to P. caelebs . Cerci (Fig. 42) extend beyond

FIGS 35-39

Pseudacanthops centralis : (35) Head, posterior view. (36-37) Process of vertex. (38-39) Pronotum. Scale = 0.5 cm.

the subgenital plate with sparse long hairs; last segment very large, flattened and dilated, lateral margins irregularly sinuous and deeply incised at apex, forming unequal terminal lobes. Subgenital plate longer than broad with incised apex, styles small; supranal plate short with incised apex.

Male genitalia: Ventral phallomere (Fig. 45) about twice as long as its width; distal process elongated, arcuated; lateral process elongated with smooth external margin. Left phallomere (Figs 43-44) well sclerotized; ventral lamina with sinuous elongated distal process; anterior process acute; phalloid apophysis membranous with numerous small spines.

Measurements (millimeters): Head width 5.5-5.8; pronotum supracoxal dilatation width 3.3-3.7; prozone length 3.4-3.7; metazone length 6.5-6.9; anterior coxae length 7.8-8.2; anterior femora length 9.6-10.6; tegminae length 39-45.

COMMENTS: This new species is near to P. caelebs , but it has the following distinguishing features: head and pronotum more tuberculated; costal margin of mesothoracic wings with less accentuate excavation; supranal plate with incised apex; ventral phallomere much longer and more arcuated; apical process of left phallomere slender.

DISTRIBUTION: Known from Nicaragua and Panama (Fig. 95).